minimum staffing numbers

[suebear]

http://www.outofschoolalliance.co.uk/minimum-staff-numbers

 

I cannot believe I'm asking about ratios again, really thought we had it sussed.

 

In September our numbers are starting very low, possibly 7 children.

 

A member of staff sent me the link above. It reads that the eyfs now says you can operate with just 1 member of staff if within ratio eg 7 children aged 3 (albeit a safeguarding nightmare). Yet does the eyfs not also say there has to be a deputy and manager present at all times? So your minimum would always be two members of staff with a level 3?

 

Thank you for your thoughts, clearly I wouldn't want to run with just 1 adult but I do like to be able to give clear answers

[finleysmaid]

no it says you need to have a named deputy....but not they they need to be on the premises!

[suebear]

So, you could just ring the deputy to come in if something happened?

 

So, does that mean a childminder can have 3 children under 5 with 1 adult in the building but a setting could have 4 2yr olds and 1 adult in the building or 8 3yr olds and 1 adult in the building?

[finleysmaid]

To my knowledge yes...but i'll go and have another check in the statutory framework.

[finleysmaid]

...oh and as long as your policies allow

[woodlands1997]

But if your registered on the childcare register which surely all nurseries are (We are non-domestic so we are) ? Then it clearly states 2 people have to be on premises? Have I overlooked something?

[finleysmaid]

AhA well done woodlands...the statutory framework says one or more all the way through but the childcare register says there must be 2 people over the age of 18 at all times. (depending on which register you are on!)

[sunnyday]

Agree with woodlands :1b

[finleysmaid]

Agree with woodlands :1b

creep!

[suebear]

Hmm, I think we're just on the Early years register not on both.

[woodlands1997]

If you're childcare on either domestic or non domestic then you'll be on childcare register! Not sure about anything else sorry. We've just had to re register which is why I have recently been form filling to the max and I remember in the process it saying about 2 people at all times! To be honest I don't think I would want to be by myself anyway like you said incase anything happened but when we are left with one child at the end of the day from 5:30 - 6 for half an hour it would be useful!!

[finleysmaid]

linky here!

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/guide-registration-early-years-register

[Cait]

We are only Early Years Register too

[Guest SamG]

We are only on the Early Years register too, but what happens if you only have 1 member of staff and they need the toilet?

[Guest]

You have to be within sight and sound within reason, so I'm sure a toilet break would be fine

[finleysmaid]

now i don't want to have caused any confusion here...the link has somewhere a reference to the fact that for non-domestic providers they must have 2 people over the age of 18 on the premises...so therefore toilet breaks etc would mean that there is always one person in charge of the children

[Fredbear]

Woodlands 1997, these are the very times you should have two staff present to safeguard you and the child.

Yes we all know it can be a pain especially at the end of a day, but good practice should be the complete day.

[woodlands1997]

Exactly fredbear, it just wouldn't be worth the risk!

[Guest]

Woodlands 1997, these are the very times you should have two staff present to safeguard you and the child.

Yes we all know it can be a pain especially at the end of a day, but good practice should be the complete day.

It is part of our policy if a child is not collected on time another member of staff stays until the child has gone. It is part of safeguarding and not something I would even question or contemplate .

Edited April 11, 2014 by Suer

[Guest]

There is also a reference in the first aid bit to needing to:

24. take into account the number of children, staff and layout of premises to ensure that a paediatric first aider is able to respond to emergencies quickly.

In my mind one member of staff would not fulfill this but of course it could be open to interpretation.

[woodlands1997]

In this day and age I don't know why they are even suggesting that this could be acceptable! I wasn't saying we would ever do it but just that I can see how it would be tempting especially if people are finding staff costs tight. We are fortunate to be large enough that this wouldn't really be necessary but for small settings you can see why they may consider it rightly or wrongly !

[thumperrabbit]

I might be a little suspicious here but would this suit the powers that be in a school setting?

[Wildflowers]

My understanding is that there have to be two adults to any number of children at all times, both within sight or hearing of the children. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) When starting, we had two adults to two children for that reason, and then for some time / on some days two adults to as many or fewer children than what one child minder can have.

A parent needs to leave their child with us 15 minutes before a second member of staff arrives to prepare for the day, and occasionally a parent arrives late to collect. If two adults have to be present at all times, is there any legal way around this? Can one adult on non-domestic premises be with the same or a smaller number of children a child minder can have for up to 30 minutes?